INTERVIEW: Why Lancaster Music Festival is 'the UK's biggest urban music festival'

Wednesday, 5 October 2022 11:51

By Greg Lambert @greglam72

Beyond Radio was delighted to welcome Lucy Reynolds from Lancaster Music Festival to the studio to explain why the event is now the biggest of its kind in the UK.

The festival will run across the city from Thursday October 13 to Sunday October 16 with a launch night at The Storey on Wednesday, October 12.

Speaking to Rachel Banks on 'Banksy on Beyond' on Tuesday, Lucy said the event had its highest ever number of venues in this, its 12th year.

"It now really is Britain's biggest urban music festival," she said.

LISTEN to Lucy Reynolds (pictured below) speaking about Lancaster Music Festival:

Lucy said: "Lancaster Music Festival has everything from punk to swing to jazz to rock.

"We've got over 400 shows, over 300 performers, plenty of new venues.

"We're expecting thousands of people to come to the city for the weekend and enjoy 97 per cent of free shows, there are very few ticketed shows.

"Lancaster Music Festival is there to showcase the city's already vibrant music scene.

"And there are a lot of firsts this year.

"(We) put unusual and quirky music on in venues, so people listen to the music and see what a beautiful city it is."

Some of the festival highlights picked out by Lucy were:

The Sugarhouse which hosts The Lottery Winners (pictured below) on Saturday October 15 and Massive Wagons with support from Gloria on October 16

Other new venues including Tite & Locke at Lancaster railway station, Skerton Liberal Club and the Judges' Lodgings.

Dallas Road Primary School will be hosting a mini festival in their playground.

The Melodrome Stage will be at Lancaster Castle.

The Craic Inn will host a Celtic, folk and Irish line-up in Sun Square.

Dalton Square will host a Brazilian 'Carnaval!' atmosphere on the Sunday.

Search for a Star returns as young acts have been mentored by Lancaster band Lowes and will perform on the youth stage in Market Square on Friday and in the Storey on Saturday.

Classical music comes to the Priory on Friday night; with 'Piano at the Priory' featuring Tensheds, Siqian Li and Oliver Brouwer.

Rewind back to 1942 with swing in Market Square on the Sunday afternoon featuring a brass band and Britain's Got Talent's Alfie Bridgens with his 40-piece ukulele orchestra, and The Billionaires.

The Girls Can project by More Music on the Sunday in the Moor Space venue at The Dukes; a full day of workshops, panel discussions and music to promote women in music

The Kanteena will host the festival after parties, featuring Simone Butler, bass player from Primal Screen doing DJ set on the Friday night; Medication on the Saturday, and Acme Bass on the Sunday

Loads of workshops for all the family including drumming, craft for children in the Storey on the Saturday and Sunday; and an interactive show for under 5s called The Raven's Tale produced by More Music

A gig at a secret venue by Lancaster punk sensations The Lovely Eggs!

The festival brochure will be available later this week.

Find out more about Lancaster Music Festival here.